Zendo (zen hall) at the Japanese Culture Center in Chicago on New Years Eve.

Every year on New Years Eve at the Japanese Culture Center in Chicago, JCC members participate in Estsunengieko (crossing over to the new year practice). The evening begins with a through cleaning of the Center from top to bottom ((大掃除 – oosoji). This symbolizes the idea of starting the next year purified and fresh, which would be very similar to the idea of Spring Cleaning.

This year following the cleaning, was the actual estunengieko (end of the year practice – 越年 稽古). The practice began with entering the zendo (zen hall) and everyone participating in misogi (禊) breathing practice, which is another form of purification in Japanese culture. With clear minds and spirits, everyone then sat zazen ( 坐禅 – seated meditation) to calm and center themselves. An aikido (合気道) class followed the sit and everyone practices with full intention and sincerity.

A traditional Japanese meal was prepared for New Years.

Finally, following aikido came the bonenkai (忘年会 – celebration) which involved eating lots of rice cake (mochi – 餅), traditional Japanese New Years soup (oden – おでん), and noodles (soba – そば). The eating of soba noodles is a custom of passing into the new year, as the noodles break easily, and hope symbolize good fortune and health.

We hope you enjoyed your New Year’s Eve, however, you were celebrating.

Happy New Years (謹賀新年) !

http://www.japaneseculturecenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Zendo-at-the-Japanese-Culture-Center-on-New-Years-Eve.jpg1024768JCChttp://www.japaneseculturecenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Japanese-Culture-Center.pngJCC2015-01-02 17:59:582015-01-02 17:59:58Estunengieko - Ringing out the year with practice!

Matthew Ozawa, Founder and Artistic Director of Mozawa talk with Brian Knall of the Japanese Culture Center.

I went to meet with Mozawa’s Artistic direct, Matthew Ozawa, about the upcoming production of Fallen running this Halloween weekend. I entered through a black door with white polka dots that was sandwiched between two businesses. After climbing up two flights of stairs, I was cordially greeted by Fallen’s Stage Manager who let me into the rehearsal room.

Ozawa was in the midst of leading the cast through a Suzuki exercise, but he kindly stepped aside to introduce himself to me and introduce me to the cast. After finishing the exercises they set up for the prologue. During the set up I met Mozawa’s executive director and Fallen’s producer Jodi Gage who encouraged me to sit in one of the audience chairs rather than watch from afar.

I was blown away by the movement work of the cast. The elements of Japanese culture embedded in the movements, combined with their great ensemble work kept me wanting to see more. Even though the prologue did not have text I have high hopes based off the work I’ve seen. But the best part may have been Ozawa’s directing style. He clearly had a strong relationship with his cast members, evident by the jokes and stories he shared. He danced with members to work out choreography, and he drew comparisons to help visualize the movement, including a parallel to a baseball pitcher and batter. He also named movements, one of which was so popular it evolved into a chant as the actors repeated the movement again and again.

Over the break I was able to briefly speak with some of the cast members. Everyone seemed to be having a great time and had a playful sense of humor. Even Fallen’s oldest cast member who, if my patchwork math is correct, isn’t even 30 yet!

Fallen incorporates an adaptation of Japanese writer Akutagawa’s short story, “In A Grove”

Next I sat down with Ozawa himself and began to learn more about the inner workings of the production. The tale of Fallen, which was popularized by the Japanese writer Ryūnosuke Akutagawa’s short story “In a grove” and adapted to the film “Rashomon” dates back as far as 300BC, yet the story still resonates with today’s audiences. Depicting seven people’s experiences with a single event, this tale illuminates the different facets of people. Each angle reveals a new perspective that complicates how you previously viewed them. This is particularly relevant to anyone who engages with social media where they project a certain image of themselves or interpret a particular image of others. Furthermore, Fallen’s soundscape engrosses audiences with selections by an electronic sound artist, live music by a koto performer, and sounds made with the body innate to human nature.

Mozawa’s unique combination of theatre, dance, and music works to blur the boundaries between these forms. Ozawa has travelled around the world studying various art forms, but being unable to find a space where they merged together successfully, he created his own. Fallen is the show where everything comes together and I encourage everyone to go see it! I know I will!

Some of the traditional and tenured Japanese Cultural and Martial Arts in Chicago will be featured!

We would like to invite your group to our annual Open House event this upcoming October 11th (Saturday) from 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm. The Open House will have demonstrations from several martial and cultural arts, such as:

There will also be a fundraising raffle for the Aikido International Foundation (AIF). The AIF is a 501(c)-3 not-for-profit organization and with your generous donations, we can continue to help others in our local, national, and global communities. These contributions are tax deductible.

Thank you again for your support and we hope to see you at the Open House!

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

http://www.japaneseculturecenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Screen-Shot-2014-10-05-at-12.09.15-PM.png11442170JCChttp://www.japaneseculturecenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Japanese-Culture-Center.pngJCC2014-10-05 14:35:052014-10-05 14:35:05Cultural and Martial Arts Demonstration Open House at the Japanese Culture Center in Chicago 10/11/14

Recently, representatives from the Japanese Culture Center made a visit to biwa Japanese Restaurant in Portland, OR. We had heard that it was a tasty pitstop that had to be made while in “Stumptown”. From our experience, it was worth worth the visit.

We tried a variety of items that were all very delicious. For starters, we ordered the local oysters, as well as, daikon kimichi (Korean pickled radish), chicken karaage (fried chicken), yaki onigiri (grilled rice ball). The onigari was particularly nostalgic of times spent in Japan.

local oysters from biwa japanese restaurant

The kimichi was nice and fresh!

Nice and crispy chicken karaage from biwa.

Really enjoyed the bonito shavings on top of the tofu!

We really, really enjoyed the grilled rice ball at biwa!

For the entree, we enjoyed a vegetable udon and the tonkatsu ramen (pork ramen) with a side of gyoza (dumplings). We found that for our tastes, sometimes the most enjoyable favor can come from a straight forward approach. biwa did not over complicate the dishes and crafted a simple noodle dish with great depth, much like a master poet would craft a profound haiku.

Katsushika Hokusai. Kohada Koheiji, from the series One Hundred Stories (Hyaku monogatari), 1831

Just in time for Halloween, the Art Institute of Chicago is holding a special exhibit about ghosts and demons from Saturday, October 11, 2014 to Sunday, January 4, 2015

The exhibition of in Japanese prints is called Temptation: The Demons of James Ensor, draws upon the celebrated Clarence Buckingham Collection. Some of the pieces, include Hokusai’s series One Hundred Stories (Hyaku monogatari) and depictions of Shoki, the Demon Queller, who could subdue even the most frightening goblins with his sword. Images of Shoki were regularly posted on doors to ward off disease and bad luck during the Edo period (1615–1868).

http://www.japaneseculturecenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Ghosts-and-Demons-Katsushika-Hokusai-Kohada-Koheiji_360.jpg360260JCChttp://www.japaneseculturecenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Japanese-Culture-Center.pngJCC2014-09-26 08:44:112014-09-26 08:44:11Ghosts and Demons Japanese Prints Exhibit at the Art Institute of Chicago

http://www.japaneseculturecenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Screen-Shot-2014-09-24-at-9.23.05-AM.png850958JCChttp://www.japaneseculturecenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Japanese-Culture-Center.pngJCC2014-09-24 09:07:162014-09-24 09:07:16Video from the Toyo Shojin Rengo Shodo (Calligraphy) Event at the Japanese Culture Center in Chicago

http://www.japaneseculturecenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Screen-Shot-2014-09-30-at-12.57.52-AM.png7821210JCChttp://www.japaneseculturecenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Japanese-Culture-Center.pngJCC2014-09-23 09:56:142014-09-23 09:56:14Video from the Toyo Shojin Rengo Shodo (Calligraphy) Event at the Japanese Culture Center in Chicago